Minister: ‘I gave into the lust of the flesh’

Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at 04:38 PM.

A married Baptist minister said he needs prayers and forgiveness after he was accused of grabbing a woman, throwing money at her and asking for sex in a motel Tuesday.

“I have talked to God all night last night and today,” Forest City pastor Robert Harris said Wednesday.

“I gave in to the lust of the flesh,” Harris said.

Police charged Harris, 54, with sexual battery. A conviction on that charge would require him to register as a sexual offender.

1-year-old was in the room

Arrest warrants say Harris first went to Room 243 at the Super 8 on Cox Road in Gastonia at about 4 p.m. Tuesday and asked a Gaston County woman there for sex. The woman and her family were staying at the motel while looking for a new place to live. The woman, who asked not to be named, said she had never met the man who came to her door Tuesday.

She wasn’t alarmed when he knocked. He was dressed in a button-down shirt with slacks and wearing glasses. She said he reminded her of a preacher. But when she answered, he asked her for sex in exchange for money, according to police.

“I was so flabbergasted and shocked that I asked him to come back in 10 minutes,” she said.

The woman called her mother. When the man who asked for sex came back a second time, she says she again told him to go away.

“He tried to push himself into my room and he grabbed me and I pushed it shut,” she said.

Harris is accused of grabbing the woman’s breast and throwing a $20 bill at her, according to a warrant. The woman’s 1-year-old child was also in the room at the time. She said Harris saw the child.

“He actually said, ‘Oh, your baby. Well just give me five minutes.’ And he kept talking very dirty,” she said.

Police witness

The woman called police after Harris first showed up to her motel room, according to police. And while Gastonia Police officer David Pilkey was on the phone, the suspect returned. The officer heard him asking the woman if she wanted to engage in a sex act and “have some fun,” according to the arrest warrant.

“He stated he thought she was someone he had done this with in the past in this Room 243,” Pilkey wrote in the warrant.

The accuser said she believes the man who came to her room had done that kind of thing before.

“I think maybe he’s gotten away with it so much that if he looks good on the outside that maybe if he just knocks on a door, maybe he’ll get lucky,” she said.

Harris said he had been to that room once about 10 years ago. In that case, he said, he counseled a woman and her husband, even giving them money for food. He said that instance did not involve anything sexual. He said he did not have a good reason on why he would return to that room on Tuesday.

‘I’m human’

Harris blamed the devil. The pastor said he was humiliated and repentant. Harris has been a minister at Harriett Memorial Freewill Baptist Church in Forest City for 13 years. The church has about 120 members, he said. Harris said he would “come clean” to his church congregation when they met for mid-week services at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

“I’m human. I made a mistake,” he said. “I’m going to beg for their forgiveness and God’s forgiveness.”

He said he expects God to forgive him but that church members will have to decide whether they can let him remain pastor of the church.

Harris said Wednesday morning he had not yet told his wife of 34 years about his arrest. He said he was trying to get “straight” with God first. The couple also have children.

He said he would talk to his wife before he goes to his church congregation.

“I love her greatly. She is my life. She is my heart, and she is my soul,” Harris said. “I hope and pray she will be able to forgive me and be able to stay married to me.”

Harris asked for prayers from news reporters interviewing him, adding that he also was soliciting prayers from the general public. Harris also had a message for other men.

“To all men everywhere, this can happen to a preacher. This can happen to a banker. This can happen to a carpenter. It can happen to anyone in any walk of life. Don’t do like I have done. Please love your wife and do all that you can to protect the sanctity of marriage.”

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A married Baptist minister said he needs prayers and forgiveness after he was accused of grabbing a woman, throwing money at her and asking for sex in a motel Tuesday.

“I have talked to God all night last night and today,” Forest City pastor Robert Harris said Wednesday.

“I gave in to the lust of the flesh,” Harris said.

Police charged Harris, 54, with sexual battery. A conviction on that charge would require him to register as a sexual offender.

1-year-old was in the room

Arrest warrants say Harris first went to Room 243 at the Super 8 on Cox Road in Gastonia at about 4 p.m. Tuesday and asked a Gaston County woman there for sex. The woman and her family were staying at the motel while looking for a new place to live. The woman, who asked not to be named, said she had never met the man who came to her door Tuesday.

She wasn’t alarmed when he knocked. He was dressed in a button-down shirt with slacks and wearing glasses. She said he reminded her of a preacher. But when she answered, he asked her for sex in exchange for money, according to police.

“I was so flabbergasted and shocked that I asked him to come back in 10 minutes,” she said.

The woman called her mother. When the man who asked for sex came back a second time, she says she again told him to go away.

“He tried to push himself into my room and he grabbed me and I pushed it shut,” she said.

Harris is accused of grabbing the woman’s breast and throwing a $20 bill at her, according to a warrant. The woman’s 1-year-old child was also in the room at the time. She said Harris saw the child.

“He actually said, ‘Oh, your baby. Well just give me five minutes.’ And he kept talking very dirty,” she said.

Police witness

The woman called police after Harris first showed up to her motel room, according to police. And while Gastonia Police officer David Pilkey was on the phone, the suspect returned. The officer heard him asking the woman if she wanted to engage in a sex act and “have some fun,” according to the arrest warrant.

“He stated he thought she was someone he had done this with in the past in this Room 243,” Pilkey wrote in the warrant.

The accuser said she believes the man who came to her room had done that kind of thing before.

“I think maybe he’s gotten away with it so much that if he looks good on the outside that maybe if he just knocks on a door, maybe he’ll get lucky,” she said.

Harris said he had been to that room once about 10 years ago. In that case, he said, he counseled a woman and her husband, even giving them money for food. He said that instance did not involve anything sexual. He said he did not have a good reason on why he would return to that room on Tuesday.

‘I’m human’

Harris blamed the devil. The pastor said he was humiliated and repentant. Harris has been a minister at Harriett Memorial Freewill Baptist Church in Forest City for 13 years. The church has about 120 members, he said. Harris said he would “come clean” to his church congregation when they met for mid-week services at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

“I’m human. I made a mistake,” he said. “I’m going to beg for their forgiveness and God’s forgiveness.”

He said he expects God to forgive him but that church members will have to decide whether they can let him remain pastor of the church.

Harris said Wednesday morning he had not yet told his wife of 34 years about his arrest. He said he was trying to get “straight” with God first. The couple also have children.

He said he would talk to his wife before he goes to his church congregation.

“I love her greatly. She is my life. She is my heart, and she is my soul,” Harris said. “I hope and pray she will be able to forgive me and be able to stay married to me.”

Harris asked for prayers from news reporters interviewing him, adding that he also was soliciting prayers from the general public. Harris also had a message for other men.

“To all men everywhere, this can happen to a preacher. This can happen to a banker. This can happen to a carpenter. It can happen to anyone in any walk of life. Don’t do like I have done. Please love your wife and do all that you can to protect the sanctity of marriage.”